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A slender whisker type organ near the mouth of a fish.

Barbel

A slender whisker type organ near the mouth of a fish.

Catfish are found in lakes and streams of North America, usually at muddy bottoms. Catfish have a large head and fins with barbs. They are excellent for food.

Catfish

Catfish are found in lakes and streams of North America, usually at muddy bottoms. Catfish have a large…

An illustration of a catfish with eggs attached to the underside.

Catfish with Eggs Attached

An illustration of a catfish with eggs attached to the underside.

Electric catfish is the common name for the catfish (order Siluriformes) family Malapteruridae. This family includes two genera, Malapterurus and Paradoxoglanis with 19 species. Several species of this family have the ability to produce an electric shock of up to 350 volts using electroplaques of an electric organ. Electric catfish are found in tropical Africa and the Nile River. Electric catfish are usually nocturnal and feed primarily on other fish, incapacitating their prey with electric discharges.

Electric Catfish

Electric catfish is the common name for the catfish (order Siluriformes) family Malapteruridae. This…

Upside-down catfish, Synodontis nigriventris, is a species of catfish. It's particularly noteworthy because of its habit of swimming upside down most of the time. Upside-down catfish originate from the Central Congo basin of Africa.

Upside-down Catfish

Upside-down catfish, Synodontis nigriventris, is a species of catfish. It's particularly noteworthy…

The wels catfish is a scaleless fresh and brackish water catfish recognizable by its broad, flat head and wide mouth. The mouth contains lines of numerous small teeth, two long barbels on the upper jaw and four shorter barbels on the lower jaw. It has a long anal fin that extends to the caudal fin, and a small sharp dorsal fin positioned relatively far forward. It uses its sharp pectoral fins to capture prey. With these fins, it creates an eddy to disorient its victim, which it then simply engulfs in its enormous throat. It has very slippery green-brown skin. Its belly is pale yellow or white. Wels catfish can live for at least thirty years and have very good hearing.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is a scaleless fresh and brackish water catfish recognizable by its broad, flat head…

Two boys entangle their fishing lines while trying to catch a catfish.

Fishing

Two boys entangle their fishing lines while trying to catch a catfish.

A type of fish with swollen or inflated parts.

Horn Pout

A type of fish with swollen or inflated parts.

A type of fish with swollen or inflated parts.

Horn Pout

A type of fish with swollen or inflated parts.